EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Kobe Bryant confirmed Wednesday that he's out for the season and had some pointed remarks about the direction of the Los Angeles Lakers' rebuilding process that could put him at odds this summer with Lakers management.

Bryant said the road back to playoff contention for the last-place Lakers starts with clear authority and leadership at the top, a subject of much discussion since the death last year of longtime owner Jerry Buss.

The team is now guided by his son, Jim, who oversees basketball operations, and daughter, Jeanie, who handles the business side.

Jeanie, of course, is the girlfriend of former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, now in discussions about a New York Knicks front office job. Jim, of course, declined to hire Jackson after firing Mike Brown, instead hiring Mike D'Antoni.

"You have to start with Jim," Bryant said. "Start with Jim and Jeanie. How that relationship plays out. It starts there in having a clear direction and clear authority. Then it goes down to the coaching staff. What's Mike going to do? What do they want to do with Mike?"

One thing Bryant, 35, who has two lucrative years left on his contract, was adamant about is that he isn't going to be satisfied with a long-term approach to rebuilding.

Asked if he would be patient enough to take a cautious approach to spending for free agents this summer if it looked like better options might exist in the summer of 2015, Bryant said he's all in for the here and now.

"Let's play next year and suck again? Absolutely not," Bryant said. "It's my job to go out on the court and perform. No excuses. Gotta get this. It's the same with the front office. The same expectations the front office has of me when I'm on the court, I have the same expectations of them. You've got to figure out a way to do both."

GALLERY: Kobe Bryant's career, year by year

1996-97: Kobe averaged 7.6 points in his rookie season, coming off the bench behind Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. At the time, he became the youngest player to ever play in an NBA game. (Photo: Michael Caulfield, AP)

1999-2000: Under Phil Jackson, Kobe averaged 22.5 points and along with Shaquille O'Neal, led the Lakers to the NBA title, a six-game win over the Pacers, the team's first title since 1988. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

2005-06: Kobe averaged an insane 35.4 points, the first time he ever led the league in scoring, including a career-high 81 against the Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

2012-13: Bryant finished his season sidelined with a torn Achilles tendon. But he averaged 27.3 points a game and helped the Lakers, ballyhooed in the offseason for adding Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, squeak into the playoffs. (Photo: Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports)

2013-14: Bryant played only six games, missing the start of the season as his Achilles tendon tear from the past season healed, then injuring his knee a couple weeks after returning. (Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

But Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, who has been working with Jim Buss to guide the Lakers through this mess, is stressing patience in the free agent market.

"Patience is the key," Kupchak told USA TODAY Sports. "With the new collective bargaining agreement, there are no quick fixes. You cannot outbid teams for star players."

The Lakers will have quite a bit of financial flexibility this summer to sign free agents, as most of their current player contracts expire at the end of the season. But Kupchak said that doesn't mean he'll use all his salary cap space this summer.

"The one thing we feel is not a good thing is to be saddled with contracts of players that put us in the middle of the pack," he said. "That's a danger in this league."

But as for suggestions that the Lakers tank to try to get the best draft slot available, Kupchak was adamant that the Lakers are now and always will be playing to win every game.

"It's the only message to send," Kupchak said.

Kupchak delivered just that message — both to D'Antoni and the players — after the Lakers' franchise-worst 48-point defeat last week to their Staples Center hall mates and former doormats, the Los Angeles Clippers.

"To think the draft can save your franchise, we just don't think that way," Kupchak said. "We just don't. Whatever happens happens. If we end up with a high pick or a mid pick or a late pick. ... a lot of players have been picked in the middle or late first round that have turned out to be great players, and a lot of guys who have been picked one, two or three haven't worked out. Just because you think the higher the better is always the case, it's not always the case."

Bryant said witnessing the destruction by the Los Angeles Clippers was painful.

"Now I know what it feels like to have been a Clippers fan over the years," he said.

He said the descent to last place has been equally hard for him to watch.

"I feel like killing everybody every time I go to the arena," he said. "I'm on edge all the time. I feel it. I feel it more than anyone in the organization. It drives me absolutely crazy."

Bryant played in only six games this year. At the beginning of the season, he was still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. He returned in February but in his sixth game back, he fractured the lateral tibial plateau of his left knee.

Tuesday, Bryant accepted the conclusion that a return late this season just wouldn't be worth the risk of re-injury.

He said that once again he will be fueled by those who doubt he can return to star form.

"I guess I could name names of every TV anchor and sportscaster and competitor who's ever said something that I view as a challenge. But it's a long list.

"I don't want to say I'll be back at the top of my game, because everybody's going to think I'm crazy, that it's the old player not letting go. But, that's what it's going to be."

GALLERY: Biggest current NBA injuries

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is not expected to return this season as he recovers from a broken bone in his left knee. Flip through this gallery for more current NBA injuries. (Photo: Justin Ford, USA TODAY Sports)

Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose suffered a medial meniscus tear in his right knee on Nov. 22. He will miss the rest of the season after surgery. (Photo: Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports)